Omega 3 Fatty Acids

SAN ANTONIO -- Older people who eat at least one serving of fatty fish like mackerel or salmon each week are less likely to die from a heart attack, according to a study by scientists in Washington state. Researchers from the University of Seattle found that patients who ate leaner fish, typically prepared by frying, did not enjoy the same heart-health benefits. The study was presented at the American Heart Association's Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention in San Antonio.

The problem with New Year's resolutions is that they're way too big. Lose 30 pounds! Work out every day of the week! Quit eating sweets! We've been there and we know. Big resolutions lead to big disappointments when our resolve starts to soften about Feb. 1. So for 2009, we recommend a new tack: Start small. Very small. With this in mind, here are 52 small tips. One for every week of the year. We can't guarantee miracles. But we can guarantee that each small tip represents a practical and manageable change for the better.

Canadian researchers have found a novel way to raise levels of essential fatty acids in the diet: by feeding flaxseed to chickens. The result is an egg rich in omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients essential to maintaining brain function and vision.A study by researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario finds that eating just one of these enriched eggs significantly raises intakes of two types of essential omega-3 fatty acids.''Eggs modified by the inclusion of flaxseed in the laying hens' diet could provide an important nutritional source'' of omega-3 fatty acids, the study's authors note in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Question: For the healthful omega-3 fats we hear so much about, which is better -- ground flaxseed or fish oil capsules? Answer: Fish in the diet is generally preferred, but both sources you mention are also good for you. Studies have found an association between omega-3 fatty acids and a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. There are several possible reasons for this. Omega-3s lessen the heart's susceptibility to arrhythmias, lower blood triglyceride and cholesterol levels, cut the risk of blood clots, help lower blood pressure and slow the progression of atherosclerotic plaques.

Eat your fatty fish and hang on, if you wish, to that bottle of tasty fish oil -- but don't expect them to protect you from cancer. A new study says that foods and supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids do not offer such protection, dashing some earlier hints that they might. The analysis, of 38 studies conducted between 1966 and 2005, suggests that omega-3s (which are found in many kinds of fish and some plant sources) have no significant effect on a variety of cancers, including those of the breast, colon, lung and prostate.

Fish oil doesn't prevent arteries from reclogging after they have been cleared out by a balloon angioplasty, a new study has found.Six months after having the heart procedure, 52 percent of the 226 patients who had taken fish oil before surgery had artery reclogging, compared with 46 percent of 221 patients given corn oil.Investigators in the multicenter Fish Oil Restenosis Trial (FORT) could find no benefit from fish oil, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, Dr. Alexander Leaf reported at an American Heart Association scientific conference on fatty acids.

We're reminded of the dangers of fatty foods in our diets constantly. Most foods contain several kinds of fat. But some fats are decidedly better than others. Too much fat in your diet can have a negative effect on an individual's health, leading to excessive weight gain, diabetes and cancer. However, it's not necessary to eliminate all fats from your meals; rather, choose the best types of fat and enjoy them in moderation. More healthful forms of fat can reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels.

They said it couldn't be done. But the cholesterol-burdened egg, which fell from grace 30 years ago after being labeled a health risk, is putting its reputation back together again.Per-capita egg consumption is on the rebound - up in each of the past three years. These increases have come as researchers report that cholesterol from eggs and other foods may not be as worrisome as earlier believed. They also come as ``designer eggs'' - that are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients - are expanding the market.

Canned tuna fish, the most common of pantry staples, gets some much needed dressing up in a new cookbook by registered dietitian Muriel Wagner and Irene Bouchard.Tun . . . Ahh: Smart Eating with Good Taste features more than 50 recipes, most with less than 15 percent of calories from fat. Tuna is a good source of protein. Tuna is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce heart disease. Rinse tuna and its sodium content is reduced 75 percent.To order, send check or money order for $9.85 to W/B Press, P.O. Box 36374, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.

In the '90s, you ate bread but passed on dipping it in olive oil. You chose chicken but ignored fatty fish such as salmon. It's time to recalibrate that thinking. Research shows that not all fats are alike. Saturated and trans fat continue to be harmful if you overindulge. The stars of new research are unsaturated fats, such as those found in fatty fish and olive oil. When consumed in moderation, these can be good for us. In an editorial appearing in the journal Circulation recently, Alexander Leaf, a professor at Harvard Medical School, reiterated that not all fats could increase our risk of abnormal heart rhythms.

Do I look any different to you? I know it's hard to tell from the picture, but my appearance should have changed over the past few weeks. It's time for a weepy admission. Yes, I've been using flaxseed oil. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but I haven't really noticed much enhancement in my appearance or my job performance. How could that be? According to some of America's leading athletes, flaxseed oil is super-octane gasoline for the bod. At the risk of pulling my sarcasm muscle, who am I to doubt Barry Bonds, Marion Jones and all the others who swore by magic of flax?

We're reminded of the dangers of fatty foods in our diets constantly. Most foods contain several kinds of fat. But some fats are decidedly better than others. Too much fat in your diet can have a negative effect on an individual's health, leading to excessive weight gain, diabetes and cancer. However, it's not necessary to eliminate all fats from your meals; rather, choose the best types of fat and enjoy them in moderation. More healthful forms of fat can reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels.

Eat your fatty fish and hang on, if you wish, to that bottle of tasty fish oil -- but don't expect them to protect you from cancer. A new study says that foods and supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids do not offer such protection, dashing some earlier hints that they might. The analysis, of 38 studies conducted between 1966 and 2005, suggests that omega-3s (which are found in many kinds of fish and some plant sources) have no significant effect on a variety of cancers, including those of the breast, colon, lung and prostate.

Phyllis Knapp, a secretary from Kalamazoo, Mich., knows all too much about an ocular condition called dry-eye syndrome. Her eyes burned all the time. At times, the pain was so unbearable, it was as if acid had been thrown in her face. During breaks at work she'd cover her eyes with a cold compress to get relief. Finally, the distraction became so unrelenting that she left her job. "There's no relief from it; the only relief you get is when you shut your eyes," she says. An estimated 8 million to 10 million people in the United States, mostly women, suffer from dry-eye syndrome.

Remember when shopping for eggs was just a question of large or jumbo? Today's markets sell dizzying choices: "free-roaming," "Omega-3," "organic," "cage-free," "compatible with cholesterol-reducing diet," "natural sunlight," "hand-gathered," "vegetarian diet," "vitamin E," "humane harvest," "vegetarian hens with roosters." As part of a trend born of the egg's improved nutritional rap and fueled by low-carb dieters, the designer eggs bear designer prices. What makes them different? It boils down to two things: what the hens eat and how they are housed.

WASHINGTON -- Americans should cut their salt intake to roughly a teaspoon a day, exercise at least 30 minutes most days and eat two fish meals each week to get more omega-3 fatty acids. Such is a sampling of recommendations for healthy living from the federal Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee after a yearlong review of the science surrounding food and human health. The government, which released the panel's report Friday, will use the recommendations to reshape the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency said that about 630,000 of the roughly 4 million babies born annually -- twice as many as previously thought -- may be exposed to dangerous levels of mercury in the womb, according to an analysis released this week. The primary source of newborns' exposure to mercury is the fish and shellfish eaten by their mothers. Mercury in children can impair motor function, learning capacity, vision and memory and cause a variety of other symptoms stemming from neurological damage.

The popularity of canned fish has a lot to do with its convenience and perhaps the fact that many people are surprisingly intimidated by cooking fresh fish. Fortunately, canned fish provides the same health benefits as fresh fish - it is low in calories, high in omega-3 fatty acids and high in protein, B vitamins, potassium and sometimes calcium. The following guidelines can help you select the best types of tuna and other canned fish.- Choose tuna that is packed in water, not in oil. It doesn't seem to make a difference whether the tuna is white, light, solid or chunk, but tuna that is packed in water has less fat and fewer calories.

WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency said that about 630,000 of the roughly 4 million babies born annually -- twice as many as previously thought -- may be exposed to dangerous levels of mercury in the womb, according to an analysis released this week. The primary source of newborns' exposure to mercury is the fish and shellfish eaten by their mothers. Mercury in children can impair motor function, learning capacity, vision and memory and cause a variety of other symptoms stemming from neurological damage.

In the '90s, you ate bread but passed on dipping it in olive oil. You chose chicken but ignored fatty fish such as salmon. It's time to recalibrate that thinking. Research shows that not all fats are alike. Saturated and trans fat continue to be harmful if you overindulge. The stars of new research are unsaturated fats, such as those found in fatty fish and olive oil. When consumed in moderation, these can be good for us. In an editorial appearing in the journal Circulation recently, Alexander Leaf, a professor at Harvard Medical School, reiterated that not all fats could increase our risk of abnormal heart rhythms.